Irina Voro
Associate Professor of Piano

At UK since: 1999

Phone number: 859-257-8170
Email: irinavo@uky.edu

Award-winning teacher and performer Irina Voro in recent years has performed in Holland, China, Canada, Costa Rica, Slovakia, the US and her native Russia. Dr. Voro, as she is known to her students, has a precious gift for uncovering the drama of the piece and telling the world something new, touching and wonderful – something the world is subconsciously looking for.

A most innovative performer, she has committed herself to bringing new audiences to the classical music. In 2000 at Carnegie Hall she unveiled her “l’Excital” – a form of classical piano recital where listeners first hear the story of the performer’s vision of the piece and then “see” that story take musical form. Some performances are accompanied by lighting, video and even sound effects making it an almost theatrical show. To date, Irina Voro has performed l’Excitals at over 50 venues across North America, Europe and Russia, to the most enthusiastic audience response.

When not on stage, Dr. Voro is the Artist/Teacher of piano at the UK School of Music, guiding talented students from around Kentucky and around the globe. Among her Doctorate students are graduates of Oberlin and Indiana as well as of celebrated Moscow and St. Petersburg Conservatories of Russia. Students of Dr. Voro have won numerous state and national competitions and she is frequently invited to adjudicate in state, regional and international contests.

Dr. Voro’s teaching methods are built upon Russian and French traditions of her own teachers, and reflect her philosophy of seeking poetry in music and making music to be “seen.”  She emphasizes connection between the quality of musical story-telling, the quality of performer’s touch and the quality of sound. Combined, these three qualities make playing feel nearly effortless and filled with charm. Multiple performance awards of her students and her own awards for outstanding teaching testify that this method works very well. Not surprisingly, Dr. Voro has been invited to present at many music teacher conferences including the most prestigious national and international conferences of the College Music Society, the Music Teachers National Association (USA) and the European Piano Teachers’ Association as well as for numerous State Music Teachers’ Association (either as a Convention Artist, or as a presenter.) Dr. Voro served on the faculty of 2007 Prague International Piano Master Classes and was a guest artist for the Indiana University’s School of Music Summer Music Academy in 2006.

Dr. Voro is the recipient of the university-wide Award for Outstanding Teaching (2005), and she is the only University of Kentucky professor who was named “Teacher of the Year” by the Kentucky Music Teachers Association (2004).

Graduate of the Saratov Consevatoire (Russia) and l’Universite de Montreal (Canada) Irina Voro is a prize winner of several competitions, including most recently, the International Louise McMahon Piano Competition (USA, 1998). She was a soloist with Tianjin Philharmonic Orchestra (China), L’Orchestre Philharmonique du Grand Montréal and Montreal Chamber Orchestra (Canada), Kislovodsk Symphony Orchestra (Russia) and Lawton Symphony Orchestra (Oklahoma, USA), among others.

Dr. Voro records for the Classical Records label of Moscow, Russia. Her CD “Ah! Practicing! My shortcut to Carnegie Hall” was released in 2004.

Press Reviews:

“Irina Voro is revolutionizing the way classical music is presented to the public.”
- Bob Withers for the Herald-Dispatch, Huntington, WV

“Awesome” and “amazing” were a few of the terms [that the audience] used to describe her highly expressive interpretation of the work of great composers. A fine poet… she can apply as much power or gentleness as needed to express feelings… The space between her notes is not empty.” - Greta Fields for the Hazard Herald, Hazard, KY

“A unique music personality… Everything – musicality, technique and a powerful drive – was there! The secret of Voro’s formula is that it practically hooks you into thinking along her lines… [Her] images are too salient, too memorable to be easily forgotten…”
- I. Morozova for the New York Concert Review

“Irina Voro…has made it her mission to bring young people back to piano recitals. (The) pianist tries to rejuvenate recitals with artistic influences.”
- Rich Copley for the Herald-Leader, Lexington, KY

“The concert turned out to be a precious gift from the professor from the University of Kentucky… The very first notes made us aware that at the piano is artist of the highest caliber. Her poignant melodic musings transformed themselves into startling chords, and then the melodic theme dissolved us all within itself… The listeners could only wonder how such a svelte person could emit in her playing so much energy, power and, if you will, sheer might …”
- Nina Kazarian for the Kavkazskaya Zdravnitsa, Russia

“She gives [us] the possibility “to see” the music, to see the sound… Students and teachers could not hold back their genuine exaltation, gratefully erupting in applause and shouts of “bravo!” For almost two hours Irina Voro held the hall in the palm of her hand, nourishing the souls of her listeners.”
- I. Nemykina for the Zvezda Prikubania, Russia